Report makes recommendations on handling water main breaks in Meck County

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management released an after-action report Wednesday seven months after a water main broke on Remount Road in the southwest part of the city.

Recommendations were made after the 66-year-old pipe burst in October 2021, which affected half of Mecklenburg County.

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The report shows that it took officials nearly 3½ hours to issue a boil water advisory after initially warning people about the break. The report recommends:

The city considers adding an on-call representative for crisis management to notify people sooner.

Officials analyze the need for a 24-hour, on-duty emergency management coordinator to make proper notifications and release urgent public warnings.

Annual crisis communications training

To hold press conferences at the earliest possible time when there are recommended or mandatory actions for the public.

(Watch the video below: Boil water advisory lifted after massive water main break in southwest Charlotte)